Narada Reassures and Departs from Yudhishthira

Narada had finished his account of what Pulastya told Bhishma. But he was not done speaking. He turned to Yudhishthira directly. "Pulastya spoke those words, took his leave, and disappeared. Bhishma — that tiger among the Kuru lineage, a man with insight into the sacred texts — travelled throughout the earth on Pulastya's instructions. A man who travels the earth according to those instructions obtains, after his death, the fruits of one hundred horse sacrifices." Then Narada said something that changed the scale of what Yudhishthira was about to undertake. "O Partha, you will obtain eight times those merits. Because you will lead the rishis there, your fruits will be eight times. Those tirthas are infested with masses of rakshasas. No one except you can go there." He told Yudhishthira that whoever recites this account of the tirthas in the morning is freed from all sins. Then he named the rishis who were waiting for him: Valmiki, Kashyapa, Atreya, Koundinya, Vishvamitra, Goutama, Asita-Devala, Markandeya, Galava, Bharadvaja, Vasishtha, Uddalaka, Shounaka and his son, Vyasa who is supreme among those who meditate, Durvasa the best of sages, and the great ascetic Galava. All of them, rich in austerities, waiting. "Go and visit the tirthas and meet them," Narada said. "The immensely radiant devarshi named Lomasha will come to you. You must travel with him. You can go with me too, if you wish." Then he compared Yudhishthira to the great kings of the past — Mahabhisha, Yayati, Pururava, Bhagiratha, Rama, Manu, Ikshvaku, Puru, Vainya. He told him he would blaze with dharma, shine among all kings, destroy his enemies, protect his subjects, and obtain fame like Kartaviryarjuna. Having reassured the king, the illustrious rishi Narada took his leave of the great-souled one and instantly disappeared. Yudhishthira, with dharma in his soul, reflected on this. Then he recounted to the assembled rishis the eternal merits that derive from going to the tirthas.